Speed responsive device



' Sept. 20, 1932. UTNE 1,878,305

SPEED RESPONS IVE DEVICE Filed Feb. 21, 1950 a a 8 5a m 62 l 51 E a 10 D Z I M H m INVENTORZ 193. Per U ne,

Patented Sept. 20, 1932 NITED sra'rss PATENT OFFIE PER UTNE, F EDGEWOOD BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION S WI'ICH 8c SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SY LVANIA SPEED nnsronsrvn DEVICE Application filed February 21, 1930. Serial No. 430,222.

My invention relates to speed responsive devices, and has for an object the provision of a centrifugal device which is statically balanced, and which at the same time is high- 1y sensitive to speed variations both accelerating and decelerating.

I will describe one form of device embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. l is a vertical sectional view showing one form of device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the lines 1III of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the 5 plug member 18 forming part of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views.

Referring to the drawing, the device com- 0 prises an enclosing case A which may be mounted in any suitable manner to prevent rotation.

Rotatably mounted within the case A by means of suitable anti-friction bearings, here 5 shown as ball bearings 3 and 3 is a member B consisting of two spaced and longitudinally aligned spring housings 5 and 5 connected by two transversely spaced and parallel side plates 16. The lower end of the memo ber B is provided with a gear wheel t by means of which the member may be rotated.

This gear wheel may be secured to the member B in any suitable manner, the means here shown for securing the gear wheel to the 5 member comprising a plug member 18 screwed into the lower end of the housing 5. As best seen in Fig. 3, this plug member is hollow, and the upper end of the hole in the portion which fits inside of the housing 5 is made conical to receive the conical head of a screw 19. Furthermore, the portion of this plug member which fits inside of the housing 5 is provided with two vertical saw cuts extending at right angles to each other, so that, when a nut 19*, whichis screwed onto the lower end of the screw 19, is tightened to draw the conical head of the screw into the conical opening in the plug member, the inside portion of the plug member will be spread horizontally to lock it securely in the spring housing 5, and also to spreadthe spring housing against the hub of the gear 4, thus binding the gear to the housing in addition to holding it in place by the flange which is formedon the lower end of the plug member.

The confronting ends of these spring housings 5 and 5 are provided with centrally apertured caps 9 and 9*. Located in the housing 5 is what may be termed a piston 6 provided with a rod 7, which projects through an aperture inthe cap 9. The spring housing 5 contains a similar piston 6 provided with a rod 7 which extends through the cap 9. A spring 8 or 8 is interposed between each piston and the associated spring housing cap, each of which springs is under compression, so that the two rods 7 and '7 are biased away from each other bythese springs.

The two side plates 16 of the rotating member B are provided with a shaft 29, which is located at equal distances from the two spring housings, and mounted on this shaft are two crossed centrifuge arms 12 and 13, each arm, as here shown, being made up of two parallel members. It follows that these centrifuge arms tend to move into a common plane in response to the centrifugal force created by the rotation of member B, which. plane is perpendicular to the vertical axis of the spring housings 5 and 5. One end of each centrifuge arm 12 and 13 is pivotally connected by links 1 1- and 15 with a head 10 attached to the inner end of the rod 7 by a pin 11. 7 Similarly, one end ofeach centrifuge arm 12 and 13 is pivotally connected by links 14* and 15 with a head 10*, which is attached by a pin 11 to the inner end of the rod 7.

It follows from the foregoing, that the springs 8 and 8 will exert equal and opposite forces on the centrifuge arms 12 and 13 in opposition to the centrifugal force on these arms due to rotationof the member B. In other words, as the speed of rotation increases, the two pistons 6 and 6? will move toward each other, and as the speed decreases, these two pistons will move away from each other. It follows that these pistons can be used for the control ofcontacts or other devices which are to respond to speed variations.

As here shown, the speed responsive device controls a shaft 20 which is mounted to oscillate on an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring housings. This shaft 20 is connected with piston 6 by means of a link 21, the upper end of which is attached to an arm 30 which is fixed to the shaft 20. The lower end of the link 21 is pivotally connected with a stem 22 which is mounted to rotate in a ball bearing 23 supported in a cup 17 forming the upper end of the piston 6 A counterweight 31 may be attached to the head 10 to balance the effect on the centrifuge arms 12 and 13 of the weight of the link 21 and the cup 17 which are attached to piston 6 thus eliminating any undesirable movement of the centrifuge PER UTNE.

arms due to any shocks having a component Y acting along the longitudinal axis of the device. It follows from the foregoing, that the shaft 20 will be turned in one direction during increase of the speed of rotation of member B, and in the other direction during decrease of this speed.

It will be noted that the friction due to the spring load on the shaft 29 is reduced to a minimum by means of the symmetrical apparatus involving s prings of the same tension opposing each other, thereby practically eliminating all thrust on this shaft due to the spring load. The only load on shaft 29 is that due to the actual weight of the parts comprising the centrifuge arms and the connections from these arms to the shaft 20. It follows that the centrifugal device is statically balanced against shock in any direction.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of device embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A speed responsive device comprising a balanced rotatable member consisting of two spaced and longitudinally aligned cylindrical housings connected by twotransversely spaced side plates, a transverse shaft carried by said side plates, a pair of balanced crossed centrifuge arms pivotally mounted at their point of intersection on said shaft between said plates and tending to move into a common plane in response to centrifugal force, a piston in each housing, a rod attached to each piston and projectingtoward said arms, links connecting each arm with each of said rods, springs in said housings acting. on said pistons to exert equal and opposite forces on said arms in opposition to the centrifugal force acting thereon, a second shaft mounted to oscillate on an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal 

